"Words for These Last Days"

I.      "Do You Not Even Fear God?"

And one of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?   Luke 23:39-40 (NASB)

A.     He speaks wisdom that so called intellectuals today need to listen to

1.     In New Jersey, East Brunswick High School officials told football coach Marcus Borden he cannot kneel and bow his head while members of his team have a student-led pre-game prayer.

2.     In Wisconsin's Tomah Area School District, a teacher refused to give a student identified only as A.T. a grade on an art project because his work included "John 3:16" as well as "A sign of love." However, Buddha, Hindu and sorcerers are considered "approved" forms of art by the school.

3.     In Mt. Vernon, Ohio, school leaders told teacher John Freshwater he must put his Bible out of sight when students are in his room. Mr. Freshwater has refused to do so. He has had a Bible on his desk for the past 18 years

B.     To the world, the thief on the cross says, "Do you not even fear God?"

1.     You who live as though there is no tomorrow.

2.     Who live as though there is no judgment

3.     Who live as though there is no heaven and hell.

C.     To the judges, the thief on the cross says, "Do you not even fear God?"

1.     To judges who are more worried about the Constitution of the United States than the Ten Commandments of Almighty God

2.     To judges who are more worried about not offending homosexuals than they are about offending the Holy Spirit of God.

3.     To judges who are more worried about making homosexuals feel better about themselves by calling what they do "marriage" rather than fearing the Living Word of God that calls it abomination

D.     To the Oprahs who make their billions, and feel that they have somehow risen above GOD, the thief on the cross says, "Do you not even fear God?"

1.     Do you not know that when you die you will not be facing a God who is buddy buddy with the witches or  nature lovers of this world or with the Buddahs, and Mohammeds and Hindu prayer pots sitting around but rather you will be looking face to face with Jesus who said "I AM THE WAY" "THERE IS NO OTHER WAY" AND "REPENT OR YOU WILL LIKEWISE PERISH".

II.           The False Prophets are here!

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,  1 Tim 4:1 (NASB)

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.    2 Tim 4:3-4 (NASB)

A.     Oprah's NEW RELIGION

a)      Is Oprah approachable, empathetic, fun, and entertaining? Absolutely, or she wouldn't have lasted this long and built the empire she has.

b)     Oprah Winfrey identifies herself as a Christian. But she says that, when she was a young woman, she was disturbed by a pastor's declaration that the God of the Bible is a jealous God. "And something about that didn't feel right in my spirit because I believe that God is love and that God is in all things," she told her television audience. "And, so, that's when the, the, the search for something more than doctrine started to stir within me."

(1)   Consider what Adam and Eve did

(2)   They first doubted God - "Indeed, has God said." Gen 3:1

(3)   They then focused upon themselves rather than upon God - "you will be like God" Gen 3:5

(4)   When they wanted to search for something more than what God said they opened their hearts and lives to Satan and became lost, inherited death. Their "self-help" was nothing more than a deception from the evil one who took the spotlight off of God and put it upon themselves - "you can become like God".

B.     Oprah's NEW RELIGION - she now endorses books on New Age spirituality like Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth.

a)      Listen to what those who are following Oprah's teaching are saying: (From Oprah's message board on the web)

(1)   The title reads: "If you're reading "A New Earth" now, or have already finished, talk about the book with other readers. Ask questions, share your answers, and shift your consciousness!"

(2)   "Then you'll come to realize that you need neither church nor priest, doctrine nor Bible, sacrament nor petitionary prayer to an imaginary supreme being. You will realize you are all there is."

(3)   I've been a witch for about 10 years, and learning everyday. I'm finding much of what Tolle is saying is what we are taught in Wicca

(4)   What is Wicca? A religious practice involving nature-worship and witchcraft.

(5)   I've been Wiccan and a witch & reiki healer for the past 10 yrs and find that most of what Tolle states is the basis of my faith as well. I really liked how Tolle stated that it matters not what religion you are, if we all go deep, it has the same premise.

(6)   I think the lesson Tolle spoke about getting in touch with nature, said the most to me. How many times I have sat with a tree at my back and just felt the presence of the tree, from the roots to the crown.

(7)   Honestly, is her being or not being a Christian that big of a deal? People are just nit picky about everything now

b)     The demons from hell would want us to think "being or not being a Christian" is being nit picky because Jesus says,

 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."  John 3:36 (NASB)

C.     Christians who reject Oprah are saying the following: (www.wismoms.com)

(1)   In a nutshell, here's what Oprah is all about: Self-transformation through self esteem, and spiritual self-transformation through a focus on the divine within (which, according to Oprah, is a power source that is you. This "divine within" is not God.) Anyone who has read my blogs has heard me ask "How can you help you when you are the problem?"

(2)   How can self help self when self is sinful in and of itself and, when left to its own devises, self will only dig a deeper hole?

(3)   Even if our self-motivation appears to work for a time, in the end we are always looking for the next fix, the next self-help gimmick, the next thing to fill the void that only God can fill.

(4)   How many people go around wondering why they're not happy? If all this self-fixing works, why do we need yet more self-help books, more "love yourself" platitudes, more deep breathing and "getting in touch with ourselves?"

(5)   The problem is the constant navel gazing into self and thinking we are better than God.

(6)   We take on a demonic superiority complex, thinking we are in charge of us.

(7)   The bottom line is many are putting Oprah and what she says and promotes in place of God and what God's Word and His Holy Spirit says.

2.     God's WORD warns us

a)      For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations..." 2 Timothy 4:3-5

b)     Jeremiah 5: 31 "The prophets prophesy falsely.and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?"

c)      Jer 5:22 "Do you not fear Me? Declares the Lord. Do you not tremble in My presence?"

III.      Our only hope is Jesus

"Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" Luke 23:42 (NASB)

A.     Do we not realize that our eternity is in the hands of GOD

"Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" Luke 23:42 (NASB)

B.     How will Jesus remember you today - right now?

1.     Are you be among those who fear God and ask Him for mercy?

2.     Or are you among those who hurl abuse toward God, Creator GOD, Almighty GOD

3.     Are you be among those who abuse God and think He is just there save you whenever you are in trouble but forget about Him the rest of the time?

4.     I have news for you - God is not your errand boy.

5.     God is not some sort of genie in a bottle that whenever you get in trouble you can just cry out - "Save yourself and us!"

6.     Our salvation is not within ourselves and however we decide to create a God who is according to our own thinking just because "something about that didn't feel right in my spirit" - that's probably exactly what Adam and Eve would have said when they allowed themselves to  listen to Satan.

7.     We don't create God - He created us!

IV.          May the real church kneel down

A.     We must seek to be of one mind and seek God in prayer

These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer,  Acts 1:14 (NASB)

1.     Let us follow the example of the first Christians who in their time of great spiritual upheaval, they came together for prayer and to be of one mind

B.     We need to be baptized with the HOLY SPIRIT and to be filled with power from on high

"you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."  Acts 1:5 (NASB)

you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;   Acts 1:8 (NASB)